Ecumenical Prayer Service - May 7, 2015
Washington's famed National Cathedral was the site of a
historic ecumenical service on May 7, 2015,
with H.H. Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
and H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia leading clergy of the
Armenian Church and heads of other faiths in prayers of remembrance, respect,
unity and revival. The Catholicoi reunited once again at the nation's capital
following the canonization ceremony of the 1.5 million martyrs of the Armenian
Genocide at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on April 23.
The Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop
of the Episcopal Church, will welcome attendees to the service. The keynote
speaker at the service was the General Secretary of the World Council of
Churches, Rev. Olav Fyske Tviet. United States Vice-President Joe Biden, the
President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, along with Senators,
Congressmen, diplomats and other dignitaries were in attendance.
Representatives of other ethnic groups who have suffered
genocide joined the Heads of Churches in prayers for the end of such human
devastation. Descendants of those who offered vital assistance during the time
of the Genocide also attended the historic service, providing the opportunity
for Armenians to express their gratitude to these people and institutions they
represented.
The Commemoration was the work of the Armenian Dioceses
and the Armenian Prelacies in the United States working together on all levels
including the organizational and fundraising efforts.
His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America led a delegation of 150
people from the Western Diocese to take part in the ecumenical service.
With millions tuned in, the historic ecumenical service
was broadcast live online.
The Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul is also
known as the Washington National Cathedral. A Cathedral of the Episcopal
Church, the edifice is surrounded by gardens and is a truly inspiring place of
worship.
Concert at the Music Center at Strathmore
Armenian culture came alive on stage at the Music Center
at Strathmore, on May 8, a day after the historic ecumenical service at the
National Cathedral. "A Journey through 100 Years of Armenian Music"
was the theme of the concert.
Star-studded lineup of performers included the Armenian
National Philharmonic Orchestra and Hover Chamber Choir, Ida Kavafian (violin,
viola), Levon Chilingirian (violin) and Alexander Chaushian (cello), Hasmik
Papian (soprano), Isabel Bayrakdarian (soprano), Sahan Arzruni (piano), Serouj
Kradjian (piano), Karen Hakobyan (piano), Narek Arutyunyan (clarinet).
Classical and contemporary compositions by the beloved Komitas Vartabed, framed
especially for the Genocide Centennial were presented.
Solemn Celebration of the Divine Liturgy
On May 9 at 10 a.m., H.H. Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians led a unified celebration of the Divine Liturgy
at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. His
Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, archbishops, bishops
and more than 150 members of choir representatives from Armenian Churches in
the United States participated in the service.
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception is the largest Roman Catholic Church in the United States and is one
of the ten largest churches in the world. The construction began in 1920.
Opened to the public in 1959, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
seats 3,000 people.
Reception and Banquet
“A Time to Give Thanks” was the theme of the banquet,
held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on May 9. The theme was a most fitting title
to honor those who have helped Armenians in the past and present. The Banquet
focused on the themes of “Awareness, Unity, and Gratitude.”
The host for the evening was Mark Geragos, Esq., Managing
Partner at The Law Offices of Geragos and Geragos. Dinner was served in the
2,000-seat hall of the hotel.
Speakers for the evening were Paul Ignatius, former
Secretary of the Navy and Assistant Secretary of Defense under President Lyndon
B. Johnson; Assistant Secretary of the Army under President John F. Kennedy;
President of the Washington Post newspaper and executive vice president of the
Washington Post Co., Ambassador Edward Djerejian, former US Ambassador to Syria
and Israel, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Press Secretary of
Foreign Affairs and Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs and
Lara Setrakian, an award-winning journalist, founder of Syria Deeply. Setrakian
is a graduate of Harvard University and was named a 2012 Young Global Leader by
World Economic Forum's YGL group and also as one of Marie Claire's Top Women of
2012.
Awards of appreciation were presented to selected
representatives of institutions and individuals who have contributed to the
survival and rebuilding of Armenian life over the past 100 years.
Among the evening's musical performers were the Zulal A
Cappella Trio.
Exhibitions:
Throughout the weekend, innovative workshops, films, and
exhibits were mounted in public spaces in the nation’s capital and around the
Marriott Marquis. Exhibitions about the Armenian Genocide provided detailed
information about its history and consequences.
Other exhibits included photography, traditional musical
instruments, books, and the results of a young people’s art and poetry contest.
On May 10, the Catholicoi offered Pontifical blessings on
the occasion of Mothers' Day.
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder
Not: Yalnızca bu blogun üyesi yorum gönderebilir.